It gives me immense pride to work with all our members in our schools across the city as they do such amazing work with children and young people across their school communities.
News

I’m passionate about ensuring that every child gets the best start in life. That means ensuring we have an army of vital support staff keeping our schools going.

Hundreds of healthcare assistants at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough will be holding a rally tomorrow (Thursday) as part of their campaign for fair pay, says UNISON. The staff, employed by South Tees NHS Trust, say they have been underpaid for their work. According to NHS guidance, healthcare assistants on salary band 2 should only be providing personal care such […]

Hundreds of healthcare assistants at North Tees Hospital and Hartlepool Hospital are refusing to rule out strike action as they step up their fight for fair pay, says UNISON today (Thursday). The staff, employed by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, say they have been underpaid for their work. According to NHS guidance, healthcare assistants on salary band 2 should only be providing […]

November is a special month for UNISON as it marks the annual celebration of young workers. This month gives us a platform to recognise the invaluable contributions of young workers in workplaces, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges they face. Young workers are more likely to be in insecure work, in low […]

Today is UNISON’s annual celebration of local government workers. Whether it’s the staff who keep buildings clean and safe or the worker supporting a resident with their benefits query, Council staff regularly go above and beyond for their communities. This vital work is often hidden from the public and as the largest union in local […]

UNISON’s Anti-Racism Charter is more than just a document with ideas on how to challenge workplace racial discrimination, it is constant commitment to transform public-service employers into explicitly anti-racist institutions. Brian Dodds, UNISON Branch Secretary at NEAS, commented on NEAS signing the Charter: “By signing our Anti-Racism Charter, NEAS is setting an example about the […]

Councils across the North East have a hole in their finances exceeding £133m collectively for the coming financial year, making it extremely likely they will have to make huge cuts in essential services and jobs, says a report published today (Friday) by UNISON. The figures, based on financial information gathered from local authorities across the North East show […]
My trade union journey began more than 30 years ago and I have never looked back. I took part in Return to Learn (R2L) that whetted my appetite for not just learning for myself, but also to support other UNISON members through their learning journey. From R2L, I became a Voluntary Education Adviser, then a […]

Responding to the announcement today (Tuesday) that the number of confirmed cases of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools in England has increased to 174, UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “Many involved in education suspect ministers still aren’t revealing the true scale of this growing problem. “At-risk schools remain in the dark as they […]